"La temporada empieza en junio, pero las arribadas grandes serían setiembre y octubre, pero igual la de agosto fue grande, la de noviembre es bonita también y la de diciembre, hasta la de enero todavía es bonita."
That is Elmit Molina Parra of the Asociación de Guías Locales de Ostional, speaking to CRHoy in early September. Roughly translated, he says the season starts in June, the biggest arribadas come in September and October, August's was big too, and November, December and even January are still good. Every year the September headlines fade, and most out-of-town interest fades with them. For anyone living within a short drive of the Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Ostional, the season is far from over. It repeats about once a month, and the people who see it most often keep a phone number handy and act on short notice.
The calendar runs longer than the headlines
The 2026 season has already shown how hard the turtles are to predict. One arribada began on Friday, September 4. By the next day Molina was counting more than 500 olive ridleys along a stretch of beach about 500 to 600 meters long, and he told CRHoy the event could run around seven days, sometimes up to ten. Then, as Teletica reported, a second arribada began without warning on September 16. Observers had first expected it to be smaller, but it was still going on September 24, its ninth day, with thousands of turtles landing through the night and early morning.
Two arribadas in one month is normal for Ostional. SINAC's page for the refuge says arribadas happen year-round, once or twice a month, with between 15,000 and 200,000 females per event. A separate Teletica feature puts the yearly total at 12 to 14. An educational booklet from SINAC says arribadas usually last three to four nights in a row, "especialmente cuando la luna está en menguante," meaning especially around the waning moon. The booklet gives three to four nights. Molina expects seven to ten, and the second September event lasted at least nine. The moon is only a rough guide.
So for someone living in Nosara, Garza or Ostional itself, missing September carries little cost. Molina expects arribadas in November and December, though he gave no dates or expected sizes. The way to be ready is to stay in touch with the guides, since the turtles keep no schedule.
How an arribada actually lands on your calendar
The Asociación de Guías Locales de Ostional, known as AGLO, is the group that turns "the turtles are coming in" into a booked visit. CRHoy laid out the process during the busy September stretch, and it suits someone living nearby very well:
- Follow AGLO's Facebook page. The association posts visit information and beach conditions there.
- Call 6252-7412 to reserve. AGLO takes reservations directly at that number and asked visitors to book a day ahead when possible.
- For a same-day decision, call in the morning. Molina said people deciding that day can contact the association during the morning hours.
- Go early in the arribada. According to Molina, the first nights usually bring the most turtles, and activity on the beach changes as the event goes on.
- Plan for night or dawn. Teletica described the turtles arriving through the night and into the early morning.
Living nearby helps with step four. Visitors who drive in from the Central Valley or fly into Liberia have to commit days in advance. A household twenty or thirty minutes away can see a Facebook update over breakfast and be on the beach before sunrise the next morning. During the September rush, Molina asked callers to be patient because the association was handling a large number of inquiries.
What the refuge asks of you on the sand
During an arribada you can't walk onto the beach by yourself, even if you live close by. SINAC's refuge page says entry during sea turtle arribadas requires a local tourism guide. The guide's fee is not part of the entrance fee, because it is a private service you hire separately. The page lists two organizations to contact:
- Asociación de Guías Locales de Ostional (AGLO): 2682-0428 / 6252-7412
- Asociación de Desarrollo Integral de Ostional (ADIO): 2682-1229 / 6108-1681
SINAC lists the refuge's hours as 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday through Sunday. Posted entrance fees are ₡1,808 for adult residents and $13.56 for nonresidents. The page doesn't say when those rates were last updated, so confirm them with the guides before you go.
The rules for the beach are short. SINAC asks visitors to follow the guide on whether and when to use any light, and it prohibits flash photography because light can disturb nesting females. Motor vehicles, horseback tours, pets, fires and litter are all banned inside the refuge. That makes it a night for a phone kept in a pocket.
The eggs, and why the source matters
Ostional is one of the few places where turtle eggs are harvested legally, and the rules exist because of how an arribada works. As Tico Times explained, the regulated harvest is limited to part of the eggs laid early in qualifying arribadas, because females arriving later often dig up earlier nests. Collecting eggs without authorization is still illegal.
The only organization authorized to collect and sell eggs is the Asociación de Desarrollo Integral de Ostional. Carlos Pizarro, administrator of the refuge, told Teletica that people should buy eggs only through ADIO, which operates under Executive Decree 28-203-MAC-MINAE. SINART reported that the legal eggs are sold in sealed, labeled packages, which gives buyers an easy way to check where a bag of eggs came from.
Enforcement during the second September arribada was active. Teletica reported that five people were taken before the Fiscalía de Flagrancia de Santa Cruz on suspected environmental crimes involving egg extraction and nest destruction. Pizarro said staff monitor the beach continuously throughout each arribada. On one night, conservation staff found an adult turtle caught in prohibited fishing gear near the main beach, then freed and released it. Pizarro reminded people that unauthorized fishing gear is banned near the refuge's marine boundaries. Boats in the area were asked to slow down and watch for turtles to avoid propeller strikes. For anyone who fishes or runs a boat off this coast, those requests apply every night of the season, not just to the people on the beach.
Taking guests in November, December and January
The late season works well for a household with visitors in town. Out-of-town family arriving for the holidays won't know an arribada's timing in advance, and neither will you. Being close to the beach makes up for that. Save AGLO's number, check the Facebook page once guests land, and keep a predawn morning free in case the guides post that turtles are coming in.
Allow for the drive. The road north from Nosara crosses streams that rise quickly after heavy rain. Last October, GuanaNoticias reported that the Quebrada Seca between Río Montaña and Ostional overflowed onto the road after a Sunday downpour. Ask your guide about crossing conditions when you call to reserve. Molina's view of the months ahead is plain. He says November is "bonita," December and January are still good, and there are "buena cantidad," meaning plenty of turtles.
At Christie's International Real Estate Costa Rica, we think the best homes on this coast are the ones close enough to say yes when the guides call. If you'd like to see properties within easy reach of Ostional's beach and the Nosara coastline, we'd be glad to arrange your visit. Schedule a private viewing.
